1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for mounting, displaying, and/or lighting panels.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Light boxes are often used to display signs or advertising. Conventional light boxes include a box-like housing that a manufacturer/designer may secure to a wall or floor, for example. The housing can include a light source and illuminates the display from behind. The back-lighted display often includes a translucent plastic sheet upon which advertising or other notices are positioned. By back lighting the display, the light box increases the notice-ability and aesthetic appeal of the display, especially when the display is located in a dimly lit area.
In addition to using light boxes to display advertising or informational signs, designers and architects have begun using light boxes to display decorative panels. In particular, designers and architects may sometimes add to the functional and/or aesthetic characteristics of a structure by mounting or displaying decorative architectural panels as part of a light box. For example, decorative panels provide designers and architects with a virtually endless array of options in terms of improving or otherwise changing the aesthetics of a structure. Specifically, the manufacturer/designer can modify the color and texture of a given structure simply by modifying these features in the decorative panels secured to the given structure. Mounting decorative panels within light boxes can further increase the appeal of the structure by magnifying the color, transparency, and other aesthetic features of the decorative panels.
In general, panels used within light boxes comprise of a wide range of different materials. For example, panels can be made of any number of naturally or synthetically occurring metallic, glass, or resin-based materials, such as polyvinyl chloride or “PVC”; polyacrylate materials such as poly (methyl methacrylate) or “PMMA”; polyester materials such as poly (ethylene-co-cyclohexane 1,4-dimethanol terephthalate), or “PET”; poly (ethylene-co-cyclohexane 1,4-dimethanol terephthalate glycol), or “PETG”; glycol modified polycyclohexylenedimethlene terephthalate, or “PCTG”; as well as polycarbonate, or “PC”, materials, and combinations thereof. More recently, resin-based panels have become more popular due to their relative flexibility, relative light weight, and relative ease by which resins can be modified at comparatively low cost. Resin-based panels can also provide more flexibility when compared with glass or other conventional panels, at least in terms of color, degree of texture, gauge, and impact resistance. Additionally, resin-based panels may provide certain advantages in terms of recycling and reuse.
Notwithstanding the various materials that may be used as panels in light boxes, conventional light boxes may also include various possible light sources. For example, conventional light boxes may include incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, or light-emitting-diodes (“LEDs”). While each type of light sources provides differing advantages, each light source also has limitations and drawbacks when used in a conventional light box application.
For example, no matter the type of light source used in a conventional light box, one goal may be to illuminate the panel, and graphics displayed thereon, if any, uniformly with uniform light distribution throughout the panel. With conventional light boxes, often times the light source produces hot spots and/or shadows (i.e., visible spots of greater light intensity or lower light intensity on the panel). For instance, a conventional light box using incandescent lights may produce hot spots on the panel that correspond with the position of the incandescent light bulbs within the light box. Thus, the resulting panel display appears blotchy and unappealing. Moreover, if words are displayed on the panel, then the words may become difficult to read due to the hot and cold spots produced by the light source.
LEDs may also produce a similar negative effect when used as the light source in conventional light boxes. In particular, LEDs typically produce individual directional light beams. Conventional light boxes tend to show the individual light beams for each LED, an effect that is known as scalloping. Scalloping generally causes the panel to appear striped, which is typically unappealing and lowers the aesthetic appearance of the light box.
Although hot spots, cold spots, and scalloping may occur at almost any location on a panel, a general problem location may be around the corners and edges of the light box. The edges and corners of conventional light boxes may receive poor light distribution due to position of the light source within the box, as well as the geometry of the light box itself. For example, providing an even light distribution throughout the light box may be difficult due to light box size restrictions put in place by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Generally speaking, the ADA requires that objects projecting from walls protrude no more than four inches into walks, halls, corridors, passageways, or aisles. Light boxes satisfying the low-profile requirement of the ADA, often do not allow for the uniform diffusion of light necessary for even light distribution throughout the light box, and particularly the edges and corners of the light box. Thus, low-profile light boxes often include visually displeasing hot spots, cold spots, and/or scalloping.
Accordingly, there are a number of disadvantages in conventional light boxes that can be addressed.